EA has released yet another content update / patch for EA Sports UFC, and this time they’ve added four new fighters to the mix as well as made a few tweaks to the gameplay balance. This will be the last major update for EA Sports UFC, as the developer is now looking to move their focus to “the future” (their words). I suspect development on the next UFC product has hit full stride, and maybe we’ll hear more about it at E3. We might still get small tuning updates to this product, but fighters being added is probably a thing of the past.
 

In terms of the tuning done in this update, the changes have mainly been focused on stamina. Missed or blocked strikes now result in an increased stamina penalty, and lunges also get an increased stamina burn. The lunge also has more of a risk associated with it, as when you’re stepping forward, you’ll face a full body hit reaction when struck. This opens you up to all sorts of damage.

The net effect of these three changes is that lunging now has some actual risk associated with it, and people can’t just fly forward without fear. The overall stamina tweaking on missed/blocked strikes means that almost all fighters will gas much quicker than before, and this is something that’s very apparent at heavyweight. You’ll notice that fighters will start to flag by the second round, and it’s incredibly important to manage your strike output now. I can see some of these changes bothering some players who like to let the hands fly, but I’ve been used to the more simulation style for quite some time, so I welcome these changes.
 

Talk about timing, as the biggest addition is that of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who joins the ranks of the light heavyweight division. Rumble’s ratings are all quite accurate for what he is, as he has an overall rating of 92 that’s supported by an eye-popping 95 in striking, 92 on the ground and 86 in submissions. His perks include: Heavy Handed, Bobble Head, Vengeful and Crushing Presence. These allow him to hurt people with punches and wobble them quickly, as well as damage them more during health events. Once he’s on the ground, Crushing Presence lets him sap stamina from his opponent.

All in all, Rumble is a beast, from what I’ve seen. His strikes are probably more devastating than Rampage, and he is able to keep people backing up. His 92 on the ground, along with the above-mentioned perk, allows him to use the ground as a viable path to victory as well. Like all strikers of his style, stamina management is key, but he should have two good rounds before things start looking hairy.

Eddie Alvarez has been added to the lightweight division, and he has an overall rating of 92, which is based off of 91 striking, 92 on the ground and 92 in submissions. His perks are: Heavy Handed, Crushing Blows, Swing for the Fence and Force of Nature. These perks allows him to inflict damage with his fists, particularly on lunge counters, as well as create health events from strikes. Once he hits a takedown, he delays stamina regeneration for his opponent.

Overall, I thought Alvarez felt pretty good in the Octagon. He moves well and has quite a few weapons, but I found that he didn’t have the killer strikes that some of the elite in the division possess. That’s probably fair for Alvarez, even though he’s still a high-level competitor. Under the hood, he’s got some notable ratings for endurance (85), takedown defense (90) and choke submissions (97).

Also added to lightweight is Rafael dos Anjos, the current number one contender in the division. He’s a 92 overall, which comes from 92 in striking, 91 on the ground and 95 in submissions. He has the following perks: Heavy Handed, Answering, Fluidity and Chess Master. Fluidity and Heavy Handed are a great combo, as they allow heavy strikes with reduced stamina penalty when performed consecutively. Answering provides lethal counters, and Chess Masters makes his already deadly submissions even quicker.

As you might expect, his submission stats are through the roof, and that’s going to be a path to victory if you’re facing a lesser fighter in that discipline. RDA does have respectable striking, mainly thanks to his perks, but the ratings supporting those strikes are pretty low, including the speed. From what I saw, he can certainly hang in the striking for a while if he has to, and then you can use a clinch trip to get the fight to the ground in order to work a submission or basic ground strikes.

Finally, the women’s bantamweight division has been bolstered by the addition of Holly Holm, who looks to make her UFC debut in the near future. Holm is a striker at heart, as she comes from a boxing and kickboxing background. It’s an intriguing addition to the division within the game, as most of the current fighters available are grapplers, with a couple of exceptions. Her ratings are a 90 overall, with 90 striking, 86 ground and 88 subs. Her perks include: Heavy Handed, Vicious Kicks, Fluidity and Higher Altitude. Those are a filthy combination, as her punches and kicks are buffed, and Fluidity allows her to throw even more, and then Higher Altitude regains stamina quickly. Crazy.

From what I’ve seen, her striking definitely feels a step above some of the other fighters in the division. Specifically, she has a 97 hand speed rating and 88 for kicks, which are both extremely good. This speed and the perks mentioned above allow her to push the pace like almost no one else. The danger is that she can punch herself out, and if you have good defense and ground skills, you can make her pay. Still, she’s a cool addition to the division.
 

It’s too bad that we won’t be getting any new fighters or major changes to the gameplay/animations/flow of EA Sports UFC, but I have to commend the development team for actually listening to feedback and implementing changes. Just the same, adding 22 new fighters to the mix is really cool, and it’s helped keep the online action